NHS Business Services Authority - Funding for Medicine students in Year 5

NHS Bursary for medical and dental students

You will receive a fixed grant of £1,081 (about 1,250 EUR) for the academic year. Every eligible student receives this, regardless of income. In addition, there is an income-based grant, the amount of which depends on what your family or partner earns and where you live:

• up to £3,447 (approximately 3,980 EUR) if your university is in London and you do not live at home
• up to £2,855 (approx. 3,300 EUR) outside London
• up to £2,384 (around 2,750 EUR) if you live with your parents

Under the programme, your tuition fees will also be paid directly to the university: up to £9,790 for a 5- to 6-year degree programme, or up to £3,930 for a 3- to 4-year degree programme for university graduates. You may be eligible for additional allowances if you have children, a disability or high travel costs. The money is paid in three instalments over the 12-month year. The NHS administers the programme for students training as doctors or dentists in England.

Who can apply

• Course: You are studying medicine or dentistry, either as part of a 5- or 6-year Bachelor’s degree programme (funded from the 5 academic year onwards) or a 3 or 4-year programme for new students with a university degree (funded from the 2 academic year onwards).
• Where you study: Your degree programme is part of one of the recognised medical or dental training institutions in England, such as the University of Nottingham.
• Residence: You normally live in England and were resident in England on the first day of your first year of study.
• Previous bursary: You have already received the NHS scholarship in a previous academic year.
• Second degree: A degree in medicine or dentistry taken as a second degree also counts.
• Nationality: Applicants of any nationality may apply, provided they meet the above-mentioned residency requirement for England.
• One catch: If you have moved to England from another part of the United Kingdom to study there, you are not eligible to apply.

How to apply

Applications are made online via the ‘NHS Bursary Online Support System’ (BOSS). Each year, your university informs the NHS which students are eligible. If you are already receiving the bursary, you will receive an email asking you to reapply. You must apply within 9 months of the start of the academic year.

How realistic are your chances?

This is not a competitive grant. It is guaranteed support for students who meet the specified criteria; there is therefore no panel to assess you against other applicants. If you are studying an eligible degree in medicine or dentistry in England, hold the required immigration status and have already received the grant in a previous year, it will be awarded to you. Only the means-tested portion varies, and this decreases as your family’s income rises. Make sure you apply for the funding in good time within the 9-month window to avoid any delays to your payments.